Scholarly Commentary

Introduction

The watercolour has much in common, both in theme and composition, with The Death of Breuze Sans Pitié. The latter was originally executed in 1857 but DGR reworked the picture in 1865,
apparently at about the same time he was creating this work. Both pictures are among DGR's
most arresting works.

Production History

DGR wrote to George Rae on 7 December 1865 offering to sell him this picture along with
three others that Rae had recently purchased: “I will also, if you like, send you a
drawing I am doing now, which I could get done by that time, & which Gambart, for
whom I began it, considers “unpopular”; though I dare say you would
think it none the worse for that. It is called “A Fight for a Woman”
& is 14 x 11 inches sight measure. Its price (framed) I would make 50 guineas
(cash) to tempt you. I have it thrown on my hands you see, and am wanting money
immediately” (see
Fredeman, Correspondence, 65.172
). Rae agreed and bought it immediately, perhaps
because he already had bought The Death of Breuze Sans Pitié watercolour.